Authored by Rodney Southern in Pregnancy
Published on 03-16-2009

There is no mistake that pregnancy can ravage a woman’s body. From stretching of the abdomen, hips, thighs, and buttocks many women find themselves stuck with excess fat and weight after childbirth. What many women don’t realize is that much of this can be minimized simply by staying in shape and utilizing pregnancy exercises. In addition to making weight loss much easier post partum, pregnancy exercises can also make labor easier.

Pregnancy exercises focus on strengthening the areas affected by weight gain experienced in pregnancy. These areas include shoulders, neck, thighs, back, and legs as they are forced to carry more weight than they are accustomed to. The following pregnancy exercises will aid in strengthening these areas and will help to alleviate some of the discomfort carrying baby can bring.

Neck Rolls: Begin with your head lowered, chin on your chest. Slowly roll your neck to the side. The neck should remain loose while you bring it from the left side to the back, then slowly to the right side eventually back around to the front. Neck rolls are a great pregnancy exercise as it is relaxing and also helps to loosen the shoulders.

Shoulder Rolls: Shoulders carry the bulk of the weight of the breasts. With an increase in breast size during pregnancy, it is crucial to strengthen the shoulders. To perform this pregnancy exercise, simply rotate the shoulders slowly from the front to the back.

Walk: Walking is a beneficial low impact pregnancy exercise that while providing an excellent form of cardio is not strenuous.

Yoga: The sheer nature of yoga is stretching making it ideal for use as pregnancy exercise, and is especially beneficial in the lower back region. Yoga during pregnancy will aid in keeping you in shape, as well as being beneficial for the relaxation that is often compromised in pregnancy.

Leg Lifts: In pregnancy, the legs bear the majority of weight gained by the growing abdomen. Leg lifts can be done while sitting in an almost Pilates style pregnancy exercise. Slowly lift one leg at a time taking turns. Keep in mind that you only have to lift them a few inches from the floor to benefit from this pregnancy exercise.

Pregnancy exercise is a great way to stay in shape and will greatly cut down the time needed to shed your baby weight. Whether you utilize these suggested pregnancy exercises or tailor your own routine, staying in shape during pregnancy simply involves staying active. Before utilizing any of these pregnancy exercises, be sure to consult your obstetrician.

As with any fitness routine, it is best to seek permission from your doctor to determine whether or not you could benefit from pregnancy exercises.